Roller skate



T. SPACI E ROLLER SKATE April 8, 1930.

3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Original Filed June '25 1926 April 8,1930.

T. SPACIE ROLLER SKATE Original Filed June 25. 1926 3 shets-sheet 2 h awI IlllllllflllilA T. SPACIE April 8, 1930.

ROLLER SKATE Original Filed June 25, 1926 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 wz inessPatented Apr. 8, 1930 UNITED STATES THOMAS SPACIE, or CHICAGO, ILLINOISnornnn SKATE Application filed June 25, 1 926,5eria1 No. 118,442.Renewed February 28, 1930,

My invention relates to roller skates, and particularly to a skateadaptable for use with any size shoe.

It is a well-known fact that, in the manu- 5 facture of roller skates,the greater part of the cost lies in the various operations inassembling the skates, as well as the numerous parts required therein.The skate of my invention is intended to lessen to a large extent,

the number of these essential parts, and thus reduce the cost ofmanufacturing and assembling. 1

Another object in the skate of my'invention is to provide one set ofball bearings for each pair of wheels, instead of the customary set ineach wheel, thus eliminating two sets of ball bearings in each skate.

A further object herein is to provide a skate that can be extended toany required length, and provided with a sole clamp that can be extendedto the maximum width. This is possible by reason of the clamp guidesbeing positioned at the very outside of the sole plate, thus permittingthe opening of the clamp jaws to their greatest extent. This increasedcapacity for adjustment adapts the skate for use on shoes of widelyvarying sizes and reduces the stock necessary to be earned by thedealer.

The invention will be more readily understood by reference to theaccompanying drawing, in which: r

Fig.1 is a side elevation of a skate constructed in accordance with myinvention;

and, i

' Fig. 8 is a View of the stamped trunnion bracket or yoke.

From the drawings, it will be seen that the 5.0 skate consistsessentially of front and rear wheel-supporting frames and a connectingslide bar.

The rear portion of the skate comprises a member, the blank for which isbest shown in Fig. 6. The portion, 10, of the blank is bent into arcuateform, and constitutes the end, having slots, 11, for the strap. Theportion, 12 of the blank constitutes a divided heel plate, and occupiesa horizontal position,

as best shown in Fig. 4. An intermediate portion of the blank is bentand rebent along the dotted lines 13 in Fig. 6, to form, the matinggrooves or guideways, 14, shown in Fig. 4, adapted to receive theimperforate slide bar, 15. The marginal portions of the 4 blank at apoint beyond the grooves are bent to occupy a vertical position as bestshown in Fig. 4, such parts being indicated at 16. Round openings 17 andrectangular slots, 18 are provided in the vertical portion, 16, for apurpose to be later described. A clamping bolt, 19 passes through theopenings, 17, the head and nut of the bolt being received in washers,20, extensions, 21, from which overlie the sides of the guideways, 14.By

tightening the nut onthe bolt, a direct clamping action is effected,whereby to confine the slide, 15, within the'guideway.

The vertical portion, 16, serves to laterally confine a rubber cushion,22, the ends of the cushion being confined by a trunnion bracket oryoke, the blank for which is shown in Fig. 8. It comprises a flat striphaving lugs, 23, on both sides near its middle; the ends, 24 of thestrip being adapted to be bent downward on the dotted line, 25, into theshape best shown in Fig. 3, said ends serving to confine therubber-cushion. The lugs, 23, are adapted to enter the rectangularslots, 18, in the vertical portion, 16 of the blank, and to be rivetedover, as best shown in Fig. 4; the body portion, 26, of the yokeis thatportion between the dotted lines, 25, in Fig. 8, and is indicated insection in F igs. 3 and 4. The elongated openings, 27 in the ends of theyoke receive the trunnions of the ball bearing element, the constructionof which will now be described. r

The ball-bearing element comprises a ou els wey 28 fix t n eg a th theaxle, 29, the balls, 30, being confined within a two-part housing, 31.At the parting of the housing on a transverse center line, the housingelements are flanged as at 32, and semi-circular grooved retainers, 33,34, are employed as a holding clamp. These retainers are of duplicateform, each having a lateral extension, 35, 36 on diametrically oppositesides, the extension, 35, being of semicircular form and of greaterdiameter than the extension, 36, so that when two of said retainingelements are placed in reverse relation, one small end may be receivedwithin the large end, and the large end compressed to enclose thesmaller end, and to provide a trunnion that is substantially circular incross section. This is best shown in Fig. 3, the two trunnions beingaccommodated within the openings, 27, within the yoke. In order tosupplement the holding capacity of the lugs, 23 to prevent longitudinalshifting of the yoke relative to the sole plate, I provide the ears, 37,which are bent to lie in front and at back of the yoke.

The wheels, 38 are of common form, and are firmly mounted on the axle,29. By means of the construction described, I am able to provide a fullball bearing construction by the use of but one bearing.

The front end construction is very similar, except that the sole plates,best shown in Fig. 7, are formed separately instead of in one piece. Theconstruction comprises right and left hand sole plates, 39, which are ofduplicate form, and but one of which will be described. These plates arebent on the dotted lines, 40, to provide guideways, for the slide, 15, aclamping bolt, 41, being utilized as in the case heretofore described.The construction of the yoke, wheel, bearings, cushion and holdingdevice is likewise identical with that described. In addition, the yokeis provided with an opening, 42, in one depending portion, the openingbeing indicated in dotted lines, in Fig. 8, and in full lines in Fig. 3.This opening accommodates the hooked end, 43, of the brace, bar, 44, theupper end of which is riveted to and forms the connection between theforward extremities of the sole plates, the riveted end, 45, passingthrough openings 46 in the sole plate. The brace bar directly overliesand co-operates with a groove, 47, in the threaded member, 48, that actsas the controlling element for the clamping jaws, 49. These jaws are ofcommon construction, having a longitudinal groove, 50 therein forcooperation with the downturned headed lug, 51, provided at eachmarginal edge of the sole plate. By utilizing this novel expedient inplace of the usual rivet in the sole plate, I am able to effect a muchgreater lateral movement of the clamping jaws, and thus may utilize thesame skate for a large variation of shoe sizes. The longitudinalextension of the skate provided for by the bar, 15, also enablesextensive longitudinal adjustment and because of the construction shown,insures greater strength and rigidity by the use of the same weight ofmaterial. It will be noted by an examination of Fig. 1, that the twowheel supporting frames may be separated until the down-turned ends, 1515 on the slide, 15, contact with the clamping element, represented bythe bolts, 19, 41, and that the parts may be contracted until the rearcorner of the sole plate contacts with the front corner of the heelplate. Thus the utmost in adjustment is secured by very simple means.

It will be noted from the preceding description, that the number ofparts has been materially reduced, and that the assembling operation isconsequently more economically carried out. All the parts may be formedby die operation, and the skate may be constructed relatively cheaply.An important feature is that of the bracing of the front or overhangingend of the sole plates by means of the brace bar, 44. The blows incidentto use or to application of the skate are directly transmitted to therigid frame work that supports the front wheels.

Numerous modifications may be made in the construction shown, and I donot wish to be limited except as indicated in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In a roller skate, the combination of a wheel frame, a sole plate, atoe clamp, a clamp screw and a brace bar connected to the sole plate andto the wheel frame, and underlying said screw.

2. In a roller skate, the combination of a wheel frame, a sole plate, aclamping screw and abrace bar, said bar having a hooked end forengagement with said wheel frame, the opposite end of said bar beingfixed to said sole plate, the intermediate portions of said barunderlying and supporting said screw.

3. In a roller skate, the combination of divided sole and heel plates,slideways formed in said sole and heel plates, one portion of eachslideway being formed in each portion of the divided sole and heelplates, an imperforate slide bar connecting said' sole and heel plates,and laterally acting clamping bolts for effecting a holding action bycompressing the divided sole and heel plate on said slide bar.

4. In a skate construction, a single sheet of metal cut and formed toprovide a band acting as a cuff, a pair of duplicate portions acting asa heel plate, and depending portions from the inside edges of thedivided heel plate, said depending portions being bent to providecomplementary grooves to receive a slide bar, and terminating in flangesadapted to receive between them a cushion.

5. In combination, a single sheet of metal cut and formed to provide aband acting as a cuff, a pair of duplicate portions acting as dependingportions being bent to provide complementary grooves to receive a slidebar, and terminating in flanges adapted to receive between them acushion, a fiat, flatwise disposed slide bar, and means for clampingsaid bar between said complementary grooves.

6. In combination, a heel plate divided along the center line of theskate, each half of the plate having a depending portion from its insideedge, said portion being rebent on itself to form a groove facing towardthe center line, said depending portions of the two plates formingcomplementary grooves to receive a slide bar, and a pocket to receive acushion.

7. In combination, a heel.plate divided along the center line of theskate, each half of the plate having a depending portion from 'itsinside edge, said portion being rebent on.

itself to form a groove facing toward the .,center line, said dependingportions of the two plates forming complementary grooves to receive aslide bar, and a pocket to receive a cushion,a screw acting to move saidgrooved portions toward each other.

8. In combination, a heel plate divided along the center line of theskate, each half of the plate having a depending portion from its insideedge, said portion being rebent on itself to form a groove facing towardthe center line, said depending portions of the two plates formingcomplementary grooves to receive a slide bar, and a pocket to receive acushion, a fiat, flatwise disposed, imperferate sllde bar, and a screwfor moving said grooved portions toward each other to clamp 7 said bar.I

9. In combination, a heel plate divided along the center line of theskate, each half of the plate having a depending portion fromits insideedge, said portion being rebent on itself to form a groove facing towardthe center line, said depending portions of the two plates formingcomplementary grooves to receive a slide bar, and a pocket to receive acushion, and means for securing a bearing yoke in said dependingportions.

In testimony whereof I have aifixed my signature.

THOMA S SPAGIE.

